Harry Potter and the Hogwarts Reunion
by aims80
Summary: **COMPLETED** [Book 1 in series.] As the ten year reunion looms near strange things begin to happen, and the Dark Mark begins to appear again. The ending is NOT expected! Please R&R.
1. Prologue: 10 years ago

PROLOGUE: TEN YEARS AGO.  
  
  
  
"…and so," concluded Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. "I wish these young witches and wizards only the best in whatever they endeavor to undertake now that they have graduated from the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world! Congratulations class!"  
  
The students all cheered, and Harry felt himself smile slightly with pride. For awhile it had seemed like he wouldn't graduate, and if it hadn't been for Hermoine's help with studying he was pretty sure he wouldn't. Professor McGonagall had assured him they could come to some special arrangements considering the circumstances (Harry had been involved in a fight to the death with his arch-enemy Lord Voldemort), but Harry had insisted he didn't want any special help, he had to graduate the same way as everyone else. So many nights cramming in the Gryfindor common room had followed, until Harry was sure his head would drop off from being so crammed full of knowledge. But in the end he had graduated, albeit not at the top of his class, and he felt justifiably proud of this achievement. He had led the house Quidditch team to the championship again, and had even been offered position training with the Cannons, his and his best friend Ron's favorite team. He felt himself being tapped on the shoulder, and turned around quickly, slightly jumpy. It was Hermoine, who was looking unusually glum for someone who had just been awarded the BAT (Best Achievement in Transfiguration), the MOP (Master of Potions), the HAMS (Highest Achievement in Muggle Studies) and named valedictorian of the class.  
  
"Oh Harry, I'm sorry, I forgot, I didn't mean to startle you." She said.  
  
Harry forced a grin. "Sorry Hermonie, it's my fault for being so jumpy. I'm more jumpy then one of those jumping whupnots Fred and George breed the other year!"  
  
"I was just thinking Harry, it might be awhile before we all see each other again, with me off to Romania for my DOW (Doctor of Witchcraft) in vampires and Ron joining the ministry, and you…well Harry, you know you really should give some thought to your future- running off to visit Sirius is all very well and good, but every young wizard or witch needs something stable in their life- I'm sure Mr. Fudge would be more than happy to give you a job at the ministry-"  
  
"Is she lecturing you again Harry?" Ron asked, coming up and smiling fondly at Hermoine. Whilst Harry was his best friend in the whole world he and Hermoine had a very special relationship too.  
  
"It's for his own good!" Hermoine protested, her face turning slightly red at Ron's criticism.  
  
"Can't we just enjoy the celebrations and not think about things like work?" Ron asked.  
  
"Very well- but the point which I was trying to make was that we should make a pact to stay in tact. After all the adventures we've had at Hogwarts, and all…well I'll miss you both." Hermoine said.  
  
"Of course we'll stay in touch Hermoine. You and Ron are my best friends. Apart from Sirius you're really all I have in this world. I don't think the Dursleys count somehow." Harry assured her, grinning wryly.  
  
Ron smirked. "Did you see the look on your Uncle's face when he got the personal invitation to the graduation ceremony and feast?" He asked. Graduating students at Hogwarts all got to see the looks on the faces of their relatives when they were personally visited by Dumbledore with the invitation and a camera (of course this was no ordinary muggle camera, and so the pictures moved and talked!). Harry had to laugh, although at the time he had been much embarrassed by his Uncle's carrying on about "crackpot freaks" and "laughing stock of the entire family", especially when Draco Malfoy had made it all worse by enacting elaborate impressions of Harry's family.  
  
"OI HARRY, RON, HERMOINE! You better come over here before these gorg tarts disappear into oblivion." Yelled one of Ron's elder brother's, Fred.  
  
"Oblivion?" Hermonie muttered.  
  
"I think he means his and George's fat gob!" Ron explained.  
  
"On that note, lets go join the feast before it's too late!" Harry said, and he linked his arms through his two best friends, and they headed for the feast in the dining room. He felt as if finally his life was complete. Maybe he didn't know what he would do now, but it didn't bother him. Life would work out, he was young and carefree, and had two friends who had stuck by him through thick and thin, and would always be there for him. Suddenly he noticed Hagrid, Hogwarts gamekeeper beckoning to him, and he stopped and removed his arms from his friends.  
  
"You two go on without me, there's someone I want to say a special goodbye to." Harry said.  
  
Hermoine glanced over at Hagrid and then smiled. Whilst the giant gamekeeper was a friend to all three, him and Harry had a special connection.  
  
"Righto Harry." Ron agreed. "We'll try to save you some of the mudcake, but you know it's Neville's favorite so it might be a bit hard….."  
  
"Hello Hagrid." Harry said, looking up at the tall man. "I didn't notice you at the ceremony."  
  
"Well I was tryin' to keep in the backgroun' a bit. People, like Malfoy, don't really like me bein' here and all, especially after that incident with Snape." Hagrid said.  
  
Harry nodded slowly, he recalled the argument between Hagrid and Serevus Snape (their dark arts teacher, and also one of Harry's least favourite people, a favor which Snape returned heartily!), when Hagrid had whipped out the old umbrella which concealed his wand, and turned Snape a bright purple color, which took five days to disappear! In Harry's opinion, and indeed most of the Gryfindor members, Snape had deserved everything he got and the bright purple color had enhanced his looks greatly, but considering Hagrid had been expelled before he could even finish at Hogwarts it had been a bit of a scandal, with many people, such as Lucius Malfoy (Draco's father) calling for his sacking. Dumbledore, however, was having none of that. He trusted Hagrid inexplicably, and was not prepared to lose him.  
  
"I guess not…" He said.  
  
"Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I'm mighty proud of ya Harry, ya've done Hogwarts proud and even every member of the witch and wizardy community….don't forget ya're ol' friend now, will ya?" Hagrid said.  
  
Harry was amazed to see a tear in the corner of the giant man's eye, and he impulsively reached up and hugged him. "Not a chance Hagrid." He promised.  
  
Hagrid smiled, slightly embarrassed. "Ah well, ya better get to the feast before you miss out completely."  
  
"Righto Hagrid." Harry said, and he gave him one last smile, before hurrying up to the castle, his robes flapping behind him as he ran. When he walked into the dining hall he noticed a few people turn to smile at him. The famous Harry Potter had become one of Hogwarts most well known, and well respected graduates, and Harry was pretty sure life would be great from now on.. Life would work out, he was young and carefree, and had two friends who had stuck by him through thick and thin, and would always be there for him…… 


	2. Harry recieves a strange request

Harry receives a strange request.  
  
The phone's ringing startled Harry out of his sleep. For a moment he looked around disorientated before he realised what it was. The phone didn't ring that often, simply because when any of his friends or companions contacted him they did it by owl. In fact he was one of the only ones who actually had a phone. Ron's parents had one, but Ron still hadn't realised that you didn't need to yell down the phone, and Harry didn't have the heart to tell him, so he was much happier when Ron sent him an owl, then rang him!  
  
"'Lo?" He answered sleepily.  
  
"Is this Mr. Potter?" A strange, smooth voice asked.  
  
Harry frowned slightly, but conceded that it was.  
  
"Mr. Potter, we just want to warn you not to meddle in things which don't concern you. We know your reputation, and we assure you that we won't make it easy for you." The voice said, and Harry shivered at the tone of menace in it. He reached for his glasses beside his bed, and put them on. For a moment a sharp pain shot across his forehead, a pain in his old scar which he hadn't felt in years!  
  
"Who is this?" He asked, scared  
  
"That doesn't matter." The voice said, and it hung up suddenly leaving only the dial tone in Harry's ear. Frowning he hung up the receiver, and looked at the clock by his bed. Unlike many wizards and witches Harry lived in the muggle world quite comfortably as he had been used to it for eleven years before he found out he was a wizard! It was eight fifteen, so with a sigh, Harry got himself out of bed, and dressed for work. He was puzzled about the strange call, and the strange pain from his scar- it only ever came when danger was near, and it made the strange phone call seem even more strange, there was something about the voice which disturbed him.  
  
"I just can't quite place my finger on it!" He said out loud. A noise at the window startled him, and he turned to see his owl, Hedwig, tapping on the glass. He hurried over to let her inside, and she dropped a letter on the bed for him. Harry unfolded the parchment.  
  
"Dear Harry,  
  
I hope you don't mind me using Hedwig, but for some reason my owl has disappeared off the face of the earth, and I didn't trust any of the school owls with this letter. As you may or may not know the ten year reunion is coming up here at Hogwarts soon; if you haven't received an invite this is simply because the Headmistress is somewhat preoccupied at the moment. I don't suppose you could get a day off work and come up here to see me, it's really rather important.  
  
Fondly, Hermoine."  
  
Harry frowned at the letter; it wasn't like Hermoine to write something so mysterious and the letter got his curiosity. He realised Hedwig was waiting patiently for his reply, so he hurriedly reached for a quill and scribbled something on the bottom of the letter, and handed it back to Hedwig. She flapped her wings for a moment, and then flew out the window carrying Harry's reply. For a moment Harry leant against the window watching his owl fly off over the city, and then he turned from it, and got his things ready for work.  
  
"Percy, I was wondering if you could do me a favor?" Harry asked, a little nervously. Whilst his boss, Percy, was also Ron's brother, he was a stickler for rules and wouldn't look kindly on Harry wanting a day off for something he didn't even know about.  
  
"A favor Harry? Let me guess- you want tickets to the upcoming quidditch world cup! Every single person in the place has been asking me-"  
  
"It's not that Percy!" Harry interrupted, although he reflected he wouldn't mind tickets to the cup, especially considering he had played in the last world cup for England. Unfortunately an accident with his knee had put an end to his sporting career, and he then started work for the Ministry of Magic, in the Misuse of Magic department. "I need tomorrow off."  
  
Percy eyed him thoughtfully. "I don't know Harry, the timing is bad….we've got to deal with all the paperwork from the circulation of those growing sweets….if I find out Fred or George was behind that!" Fred and George, the Weasley twins, were well known as pranksters and it was just the sort of trick they would play; giving unsuspecting muggles sweets which would make them grow rapidly taller. "What's it for then?"  
  
"Well that's just it. Hermoine sent me an owl this morning and she didn't really say, but it seems something is bothering her…" Harry trailed off, and Percy frowned. Harry wondered whether if he told Percy about his scar hurting again would he give him the day off?  
  
"Hermoine Granger? She's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher up at Hogwarts isn't she? I seem to recall reading about her appointment in the Daily Prophet a few months back."  
  
"That's right." Harry said, a little proud of his friend.  
  
"Alright Harry, just this once mind you!" Percy said, and he put his head back down, signaling that Harry was dismissed. Relieved to have got that over Harry headed for the Muggle department where Ron worked.  
  
"Ron Can I talk to you for a moment?" Harry asked, a finger to his lips signaling that this was a secret. Ron glanced around and got up. In the privacy of one of the meeting rooms Harry related the strange call, and his scar hurting, and then Hermoine's strange owl.  
  
Ron looked thoughtful. "It's not like Hermoine to not say something is it?" He said. In the ten years since they had graduated from Hogwarts Ron and Hermoine had had an on again-off again relationship; at the moment it was off.  
  
"No, so there must be something strange going on at Hogwarts-which reminds me, have you had an invite to the reunion yet?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yeah, the other day…Harry, I don't like this, your scar hurting and all- should we tell someone?" Ron asked, a worried look on his face.  
  
"Like who?" Harry asked. "We're not kids anymore, Dumbledore's retired so we cant go to him even if we wanted to! No Ron, we've got to handle this ourselves, I don't suppose you fancy a trip to Hogwarts?"  
  
Ron hesitated. "Harry, I don't know that Hermoine would really want to see me at the moment…" He hedged.  
  
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Why, what did you say to her?" He demanded.  
  
Ron's face turned the same color as his hair. "Not much, I just told her that she hadn't really changed from the know-all girl she'd been at Hogwarts, but honestly Harry she was unbearable! She said I-"  
  
"You know what Ron? I don't want to know what she said; you're both my friends so don't put me in the middle. Are you coming or not?" Harry interrupted.  
  
Ron hesitated, and then he nodded. "Sure Harry, maybe Hermoine will have something to say about your scar hurting again, hey, you don't think you- know-who-"  
  
"Don't Ron!" Harry said, feeling as though his blood had turned to ice. "I spent three years with Sirius getting over that whole thing before I came back here. I'm sure it's nothing…"  
  
But Ron wasn't entirely convinced. "Something must be up at Hogwarts though…."  
  
Harry didn't reply, but he was of the same opinion, and for some reason he was not looking forward to the next day……… 


	3. A trip back to Hogwarts

A trip back to Hogwarts.  
  
"Ready Harry?" Ron asked, rubbing his eyes tiredly. When he'd been awoken in the morning by his sister Ginny, who was on her way to work herself, and had realised that Ron wasn't up yet, he'd barely managed to get out of bed! He hadn't slept much the night before, and looking at his friend he realised he wasn't the only one!  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be.." Harry replied.  
  
The two were apparating to Hogsmeade, and then going to Hogwarts from there. "It's a pain that you can't apparate in the grounds.." Ron muttered, but it didn't really matter to Harry. He was busily thinking about the night before. After he'd got home he'd just sat on the couch for awhile, the television on, but ignored. Before he realised it the large clock he'd received from Hermoine for his birthday a few years back was chiming midnight! The pain in his scar worried him more than he admitted yesterday and the phone call replayed itself through his mind- that voice! He knew that voice!  
  
******  
  
"Good old Hogsmeade!" Ron said fondly. "It's been awhile, and it hasn't changed a bit! I don't suppose we have time for a butterbeer?"  
  
"Not if we want to meet Hermoine in time I'm afraid." Harry said. Maybe there was time but in reality he wanted to get this over and done with as soon as possible! He glanced up ahead, where the castle and grounds of Hogwarts loomed large. In the ten years since they had graduated he hadn't been back, even although Hermoine had asked him to visit for her inauguration, but he made an excuse; not wanting to admit to her-or even himself?- that he wasn't ready to return yet. Not after the incident with Voldemort in his last year there! For that matter he didn't really feel he was ready to return now, but Hermoine, whilst not insistent in her letter, seemed to need them! And he wasn't about to let his friend down simply because of some stupid feeling!  
  
"Ginny wanted to know what we were doing today. She saw I wasn't dressed for work. Luckily Mum is away because you know what she's like, but Ginny's bad enough. I don't know how she managed to get Justin to propose to her!" Ron said, as they walked along the road leading to Hogwarts. Justin Finch- Fletchley had been a classmate of Harry and Ron's at Hogwarts, however he had been in Hufflepuff, not Griffyindor.  
  
"What did you tell her?" Harry asked.  
  
"Just that we had some business at Hogwarts. I gave her the impression that it was something to do with the ten-year reunion coming up next month. Of course her minds in the clouds with the wedding coming up soon and she had forgotten about it..." Ron shook his head. "Where are we meeting her then?"  
  
"She said to come to her office." Harry replied, as they entered the vast entrance to the castle. He looked around. The last time he'd been here it had been filled with chattering, excited students. He realised that he hadn't really spoken to many of his ex-classmates, and he was actually looking forward to the reunion! But first things first..  
  
As they walked towards the Defence of the Dark Arts teacher's office one of the Hogwarts ghosts floated past, and then did a double take in mid-air.  
  
"Bless my soul, it's Harry Potter back again!" He said.  
  
"Hello Nick!" Harry said, remembering the Griffyndor ghost, Nearly-headless Nick!  
  
"It's good your back..I hope it's in time though.." Nick said, and before Harry could question him further he had floated away.  
  
Hermoine was seated at her desk when they entered. "Harry! Ron!" She exclaimed jumping up and running over to hug them. "Thank god you two are here!"  
  
Harry looked at her carefully. Was it his imagination or was she looking extremely tired? And was her face paler than usual? "How are you Hermoine?" He asked.  
  
She hesitated. "I've been better." She said simply. "Ron."  
  
"Hermoine." Ron replied, as formal as she had been.  
  
"Sit down you two...make yourselves comfortable." Hermoine said, and she sat back down behind her desk.  
  
They did so, and as they did Harry glanced around the room. Unlike Ron, he hadn't seen Hermoine's office, and the first thing he noticed was all the degrees on the wall. Trust Hermoine to keep studying even when she didn't have to! The latest were her (HAQ) Highest achievable qualification in dark arts, and her Order of Merlin. The office always seemed to look different, and have a different feel as the school had gone through defence against the dark arts teachers like they were going out of fashion! Harry smirked, remembering Gilderoy Lockheart! Now there was an interesting person! He wondered whether he'd ever gotten his memory back?  
  
"So, what's all this about then Hermoine? We didn't come up here just for a social occasion did we?" Ron asked. He'd been sitting silently during the conversation so far.  
  
"Not likely." Hermoine replied, her voice cool. "Okay Harry, Ron, there have been some strange things happening around here, and to be honest we're all a little at a loss as to what to do..Even Professor McGonagall doesn't know what is happening..."  
  
"Hermoine, if we're going to be honest here why do you need our help? You're the smart one of the group-not us.." Harry said.  
  
"Speak for yourself.." Ron muttered, with a grin.  
  
"I know that I'm more book smart than you-only because I studied more than both of you put together. If the two of you had of-"  
  
"We're not here for a lecture Hermoine." Ron snapped.  
  
Hermoine's face turned red. "Anyway, have a look at this." She reached into her desk and pulled out a piece of paper. In the middle of it was the Dark Mark; the mark of Voldemort.  
  
Harry felt his stomach lurch.  
  
"That's you-know-who's mark!" Ron said, his voice hushed, as if he couldn't say the name too loud.  
  
"Exactly!" Hermoine said. "I found it in the bathroom- and you'll never guess which bathroom.."  
  
"Moaning Myrtle." Harry replied.  
  
Ron swallowed. "Is that it? A bit of paper?" He asked.  
  
"I wish.." Hermoine said. "We've also found the dark mark on the wall near the entrance to the dungeon-Professor Flitwick found it, and nearly had a heart-attack! But that's not the worst thing! Professor Binns!" She said dramatically.  
  
Professor Binns, the history of magic teacher, was the only ghost to teach a class at Hogwarts.  
  
"What about him?" Ron asked, since Harry seemed to have lost his ability to speak.  
  
"He's disappeared..no trace of him whatsoever!" Hermoine replied.  
  
"Disappeared?" Ron scoffed. "He's probably just gone on a holiday!"  
  
"Without telling anyone? Come off it Ron!" Hermoine replied scornfully. "It's a complete mystery! And we're convinced it's got something to do with the dark mark.of course we're trying to keep it all hush-hush...if anyone got wind of this. Well you know what it's like when people are panicking about Voldemort!"  
  
They knew this only too well having lived through the resurgence of Voldemort themselves!  
  
"Do you think you-know-who is back?" Ron asked, his voice trembling.  
  
"He couldn't be..not after Harry!" Hermoine replied. "But there is definitely something going on here-even if there has been nothing happening for the last few weeks...But somehow it makes me think of the calm before the storm!"  
  
Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He had a sudden urge to run from the room! "What do you want me to do Hermoine?"  
  
"Do? I don't think there is really anything you can do..I just thought you needed to know about this all..you know, with your history..and I guess I wanted your support maybe..." She trailed off, lost for words.  
  
They sat in silence for a moment.  
  
"Anyway there hasn't been anything strange for the last few weeks, so maybe it was someone playing a joke, and maybe there's a reasonable explanation for Binn's disappearance?" Ron suggested.  
  
He didn't need the other two to tell him how unrealistic this was.  
  
"I just hope it doesn't ruin the reunion coming up!" Hermoine said.  
  
"I think the reunion is the last of our worries personally.." Harry said. During the conversation he had been debating telling Hermoine about his scar hurting, and now he decided he had better tell her. He opened his mouth and told her! 


	4. Harry tells a story

Harry tells a story.  
  
"Blimey Harry, why didn't you say earlier? Why haven't you asked someone about it?" Hermoine said, her face pale at her friend's news.  
  
"Like who? Dumbledore has retired, and Sirius..well could you imagine. He'd be over here in a flash worrying all over me, when there might not even be anything to worry about." Harry replied, an embarrassed grin on his face.  
  
"That's beside the point Harry." Hermoine replied primly. "You should tell someone; what about someone at work?"  
  
"Leave it Hermoine. It's Harry's scar so it's up to him who he tells." Ron said.  
  
"Of course." Hermoine said, sitting back in her chair. Ron's sharp tone had hurt her, but she wasn't about to let him know this. Her pride prevented it. Like when he'd stormed out of her office the week before, and she'd wanted to race after him and explain that she didn't love Krum, and they hadn't been conducting a "mail affair" for years, as Ron had accused her of, and that she loved him, no matter how stupid he could sometimes be.  
  
"Did I tell you two that Lupin was with my godfather when I was there those three years?" Harry asked.  
  
Both of his friends looked at him in shock, and they exchanged a glance before Hermoine replied tentatively "No, actually Harry, you didn't. You didn't speak at all about those three years.."  
  
Harry sighed, his eyes down studying the carpet intently. "After the incident with Voldemort I wanted to die. Dumbledore told me that there was a chance that Voldemort had transferred some of himself into me. It was only for one reason that he could do that, one reason which I have kept secret from everyone..I'm not just a Potter, I'm a Slytherin." Now he looked up at his friends, expecting to see disgust and hatred on their faces. Instead he saw sympathy and understanding, and this gave him the courage to continue. "On my father's side we're distantly related to Slytherin. I'm not his direct heir, but I have his blood in me, regardless of whether I want to admit it or not. When Dumbledore told me about the possible transfer I felt sick. I actually spent two hours in the shower scrubbing my arm where Voldemort had touched me, scrubbing the skin until it was red raw. Of course Dumbledore assured me that this didn't mean anything. "Harry," He said. "You chose not to become a dark wizard, despite the fact that you were related to Slytherin. You chose to fight against Voldemort, and that shows that you are good, not bad! This power, the simple power of goodness, can override any other power, as long as you believe in yourself!" I thought about that for awhile before replying "But I didn't save Wormtail did I? If I were good wouldn't I have sacrificed myself for him? Wouldn't I have forgiven him for what he did, knowing he was my Father's friend." "You also knew he was your Father's secret keeper and he sold him out. You are only human Harry, and had you chosen to ignore the fact that your father might have forgiven him over the fact that he was responsible for your Father's death, well it would have been understandable. However, from what Professor Snape tells me, you didn't really have the chance to save him. His death is not on your conscience Harry. The only death on your conscience is Voldemort, and that's hardly a cause for unhappiness is it? You're a hero Harry Potter!" I didn't feel much like a hero let me tell you that!"  
  
"Nonsense Harry. Every single person in our world calls you a hero!" Ron argued. "You killed the baddest, most evilest, vilest, disgustingist, slimiest-"  
  
"Ron's right Harry." Hermoine interrupted. "What you did..you saved us all! You especially saved those of us not from wizarding families. We all know Voldemort despised mudbloods-I would have been one of the first to die!"  
  
"Anyway, let me tell you about the trip to Sirius." Harry said, deciding not to debate his hero stature, or lack of it in his opinion, with his friends. "All I could think about was this possible transfer. I told Sirius about it, and he assured me, like Dumbledore, that this wouldn't happen because of me being 'good.' But it took me a long time to get over the idea. I was scared that if I came back here something would happen and I'd do something to harm people I cared about. It was actually whilst I was there that Lupin came over, and I told him this. He reminded me of the fact that he had been through something similar, although not exactly the same scale. "Harry, when I became a werewolf I was terrified I would hurt someone. That's why I was hidden away in the shack. Dumbledore was the one who told me that I wouldn't hurt anyone because I didn't want to hurt anyone! And it's the same for you-you don't want to hurt anyone, so you wont!" So it wasn't just the events with Voldemort, the whole incident, which kept me away so long like everyone thought. There was also this other thing playing on my mind. Do you know why I came back though?"  
  
"To play quidditch for England?" Ron offered. "I thought you were mad to go away after you'd been offered the training position and all..pity about the world cup of course; you were our major weapon.."  
  
"Always sport with boys." Hermoine muttered, but there was a fond tone in her voice.  
  
"I came back not only because I knew I could never hurt people, and I wanted to be near the people I loved, but I came back in case something ever happened again, even though people told me repeatedly that nothing as bad as Voldemort could ever happen again!" Harry explained. "But something bad is happening now, isn't it?"  
  
They were silent, and then Hermoine spoke. "What do you think about going and having a chat to Moaning Myrtle? She always was rather..uh..fond of you."  
  
Ron snorted, and Harry turned red.  
  
"We've all tried of course, but she refuses to speak to us. She gets on her high horse; "Nobody has been to visit me in over ten years, and now you think you can just come in here and expect me to tell you things?" she asks." Hermoine said.  
  
Harry sighed, and then nodded. "I guess I'd better give it a shot..but I'm not going alone. I can't cope with Myrtle on my own.." He said making a face.  
  
"Just wait a moment while I go and tell the headmistress, and then we'll go." Hermoine said.  
  
While she was out of the room Ron surveyed his friend thoughtfully. He seemed a lot calmer than he had been on the trip here, in fact he seemed almost like the old Harry he knew. He broached this subject with him.  
  
Harry seemed surprised, and then nodded. "You're right. I feel a lot better. In fact I don't even feel scared anymore. Maybe it was telling you two about my little secrets?"  
  
"I don't know why you didn't tell me earlier Harry." Ron said. "I wouldn't have thought any different of you, any less of you!"  
  
"I know that now..." Harry replied, grateful that he had such good friends.  
  
Hermoine arrived back, a little puffed. Harry jumped up, and Ron followed.  
  
"Let's go!" Harry said. 


	5. What Myrtle knows

What Myrtle knows.  
  
"D'you remember the time that Myrtle saw you in the bath Harry?" Ron asked as they went towards the bathroom on the first floor where Moaning Myrtle had been killed and subsequently haunted.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me!"  
  
Hermoine laughed. "She did have a major crush on you, didn't she? I wonder whether she's still carrying a torch for the famous Harry Potter?"  
  
They went into the bathroom, which was generally unused. Moaning Myrtle managed to drive people away with her moaning. The only reason that the three of them actually really knew her was that they had needed a place to make polyjuice potion in their second year where they wouldn't be seen. As Hermoine knew that the bathroom was usually deserted she knew it was the best place.  
  
"It doesn't look like it's been used since we were students here." Ron said, wrinkling his nose, as he looked around the dirty room. A few candles burned, but other than that, there was no light. The floor was damp- probably from Moaning Myrtle having tantrums and flooding it, and the mirrors were all cracked now.  
  
"It probably hasn't..." Hermoine said softly, and then louder she called out "Myrtle! Myrtle! We want to talk to you."  
  
There was no response.  
  
"You try Harry. Charm her." Ron said, snorting.  
  
Harry ignored the sarcasm, and called out "Myrtle. Are you around? Please come and talk to us. It's Harry Potter."  
  
There was a noise from the end cubicle, and suddenly there was Moaning Myrtle, picking at a spot on her face and looking at Harry. "What are you doing here? And you?" she directed at the other two.  
  
"We're here to speak to you." Harry replied.  
  
"Here to speak to me. You haven't been here for ten years, why are you here now?" Moaning Myrtle asked bitterly. "Why do you want to speak to me?"  
  
"I know I haven't been here for years Myrtle, but I'm here now." Harry said, in what he hoped was a soothing voice.  
  
"You know what they say about me don't you? Miserable, moping, moaning Myrtle..." Moaning Myrtle said, a few silver tears running down her cheeks. "And then all of a sudden everyone wants to talk to me. Well I wont have it, I WONT!"  
  
"Myrtle it's really important that you talk to us about this!" Harry said.  
  
"I'll talk-but only because it's you. I like you-but I don't like anyone else. They are all mean to me." Moaning Myrtle decided.  
  
Harry decided to ignore the last part of her comment. "Myrtle, do you know anything about the paper found here with the dark mark on it?"  
  
"I know who left it here. I was sitting in the u-bend happily when all of a sudden two loud voices interrupted my musings. I went up to see who they were. There was a tall man, who had a hood over most of his face, so I couldn't identify him, and he was arguing with the other man. "Don't you dare go getting nervous on me now!" was what he said. The other man had his back to me. He ignored me completely, rude man that one. The other man hastened to assure the hooded man he wasn't nervous, that he knew his destiny, and the hooded man handed him a stack of papers, one of which he dropped on the way out. As they were leaving he turned back to look into the room, and he looked at me and he curled his lip. He thought he was too good for me, just because his family have a lot of money. He was probably thinking fat, ugly Myrtle, stupid-"  
  
"Who was it Myrtle?" Hermoine interrupted.  
  
Moaning Myrtle glared at her. "I said I wasn't speaking to you!" She said.  
  
Hermoine rolled her eyes. 'No wonder everyone makes fun of her!'  
  
Harry sighed. "Who was it Myrtle?" He repeated.  
  
"Draco Malfoy." Moaning Myrtle said, triumphantly.  
  
The three stared at each other in shock.  
  
"Are you sure?" Ron asked, before he could help himself.  
  
Moaning Myrtle made a noise of disgust. "That's right. Myrtle is so stupid she doesn't know anything. Myrtle wouldn't know her left from her right. They used to say that when I was at school here you know, before I got killed. Did I ever tell you about the time I was killed?"  
  
"You did." Hermoine replied. Moaning Myrtle had been killed when the chamber of secrets had been opened up years before. She'd once began to describe her death to them; telling them how awful it had been!  
  
"It was Draco Malfoy." Moaning Myrtle said again.  
  
"Malfoy. I should have guessed." Hermoine said to the other two. "He was always a bad one, even though they said they hadn't been supporting Voldemort after his return and all...everyone knew they had!"  
  
"But what the hell is going on?" Ron asked. "A bunch of papers all with the Dark Mark on them?"  
  
Harry had another thought. "Myrtle, do you know anything about Professor Binns' disappearance?"  
  
"No. Not a thing." Moaning Myrtle replied.  
  
Harry eyed her thoughtfully, and decided she was telling the truth. "Should we go back to your office to discuss this Hermoine before we go and see the headmistress and then Ron and I get back to London?"  
  
"Sure." Hermoine said.  
  
"Sure." Moaning Myrtle echoed. "Leave me here. I'm just dead- don't worry about my feelings will you!"  
  
"We wont." Ron replied cruelly. He couldn't be bothered with Moaning Myrtle's antics no matter what, unlike Harry and Hermoine.  
  
Moaning Myrtle wailed, and floated into her cubicle in the end, and there was a splash as water soaked the floor.  
  
"Yuk, let's get out of here." Hermoine said, making a face.  
  
They went back to Hermoine's office. 


	6. Lucius Malfoy, and another shock for Har...

5. Lucius Malfoy, and another shock for Harry!  
  
"Are you going to go and tell the headmistress what we know?" Ron asked.  
  
"When you leave I will.." Hermoine replied. Then she shook her head. "Malfoy, what's Malfoy up to now?"  
  
"I don't know, but I think we have to find out somehow." Harry said. "I've got a bad feeling about this.."  
  
"You've got a bad feeling!" muttered Hermoine. They sat in silence in her office for awhile.  
  
"When's the reunion again?" Harry asked suddenly.  
  
"A few weeks." Hermoine replied. "But Harry, how can you be thinking about that at a time like this?"  
  
"It means we've got a few weeks to work out how to find out what Malfoy's doing." Harry replied. "The reunion is likely to be the only place we'll see him right?"  
  
"Right, so we have to work out how to get the information out of him.I don't suppose we want to try making ourselves into Crabb and Goyle again?" Ron said.  
  
Harry made a face. "Not really no.."  
  
Hermoine glanced at her watch. "I hate to cut this short, but I've got a class to teach."  
  
"Or torture." Ron muttered.  
  
Hermoine pointedly ignored him. "I'll do some thinking, and in the meantime do I tell the headmistress what we know or not?"  
  
"Well you should," Harry admitted. "But then she might try and stop us finding out what Malfoy is up to. We're not kids anymore, I think we can handle it ourselves!"  
  
"Right, I tell her Myrtle didn't know anything then!" Hermoine replied.  
  
****  
  
Back in London Ron and Harry sat in the Leaky Cauldron in a quiet corner talking about what they had learnt.  
  
"Why doesn't it surprise me about Malfoy being involved?" Ron asked shaking his head. "He's a bad egg that one!"  
  
"I just wish I knew how we could get the information out of Malfoy." Harry replied.  
  
"Hermoine will think of something, she's smart." Ron replied confidently.  
  
Harry grinned, but didn't tease his best friend. For his part he wished that Ron and Hermoine would get over their bickering and get together again, but he wasn't about to push him. He knew what that was like only too well-in his fifth year Ron had decided that Harry had to do something about his crush on Cho Chan, and it had been a complete disaster! Luckily for Harry Cho was more mature than him and she had been really good about it. Harry wondered what Cho had done with herself in the last ten years?  
  
"Harry!" Ron whispered. "Look-it's Lucius Malfoy!"  
  
Harry turned around to look. Draco's father was entering the pub, and on his way out the back where the secret enterance to Diagon Alley was.  
  
"Quick-we have to follow him!" Harry said, jumping up. Ron jumped up after him, and the two of them followed him at a discreet distance.  
  
Lucius walked quickly down the street, with the two tailing him.  
  
"He doesn't seem to be worried about anything." Ron said.  
  
"Huh?" Harry asked, puzzled.  
  
"If he was doing something wrong wouldn't be acting more furtive than that?" Ron explained.  
  
"Maybe, but not necessarily. The Malfoy's are used to doing things wrong- and getting away with them, aren't they?" Harry asked.  
  
Lucius stopped and then walked into a shop.  
  
"What is it?" Harry asked.  
  
"Flitbottom's." Ron replied. "He sells magical ingredients, but everyone knows that he is into dark things and that the ingredients are only a farce!"  
  
"Dark things? Like what?" Harry asked.  
  
"I don't know-mum would never let us go in there when we were little. And even if we went in there is no way Flitbottom would tell us is there?" Ron replied.  
  
It wasn't long before Lucius came out, with a satisfied smile on his face. From there the two followed him to Gringott's- the Wizard Bank. After he came out of there he went back into the Leaky Cauldron, and then back into the muggle world of London.  
  
"What did you make of that?" Ron asked.  
  
"I don't know, but it does prove one thing to me!" Harry replied.  
  
"What?" Ron asked.  
  
"That no matter how much the Malfoy's have been claiming that they are back on our side after Voldemort's death they are still involved in some kind of dark activities-we've just got to work out what!" Harry replied.  
  
"I know, but how?" Ron said, more to himself than as a question.  
  
***  
  
Harry sighed, as he walked up the path to his place. The day's activities had only served to worry him more. What was the significance of the papers with the Dark mark on them? And where was Professor Binns? And what were the Malfoy's up to this time? A terrible thought occurred to him-after what had happened with Voldemort everyone had told him that there was no way that Voldemort could come back again, but what if they were lying? What if he could come back? Harry shook his head trying to clear it. It didn't matter; it was up to him to work it out, and stop it! There was no use being stupid, and being scared. After all he had been through surely nothing could scare him now?  
  
As he reached out to open the front door a piece of paper folded under the mat caught his eye.  
  
'That's strange. Why didn't they send it by owl?' He thought, but he bent over and picked it up. As he unfolded it a shiver ran down his spine.  
  
The paper was blank, except for the Dark mark in the middle. It was the same piece of paper that had been found in the bathroom at Hogwarts! It was from the stack of papers that Myrtle said Malfoy had! 


	7. The return of Sirius

The return of Sirius.  
  
For some reason which Harry could never explain he kept the paper on his doorstep secret from both Ron and Hermoine. He threw it in the bin as soon as he got in, and decided not to mention it to anyone.  
  
At work the next morning Percy asked how things were going up at Hogwarts? "I am rather looking forward to the reunion myself. It will be nice to see where certain people are in life now..." He trailed off, Harry detecting a hint of red in his cheeks.  
  
He couldn't resist. "Do you mean Penelope, Percy?" He asked. Penelope Clearwater, a fellow prefect with Percy also happened to have been Percy's girlfriend throughout school.  
  
Percy now was blushing in earnest. "Well she would be one, yes." He muttered. "The last I heard was that she was working for the ministry over in America."  
  
Harry decided to let him off the hook. "Well I'm looking forward to the reunion too-and of course Ginny's wedding. I got my owl today for it."  
  
"Yes, yes, should be a good time." Percy said. "Justin seems to be a smart individual, working for Azkaban in an advisory capacity."  
  
"Azkaban have advisors?" Harry asked surprised. "I can't imagine the dementors being advised by anyone, let alone listening." He'd had an unpleasant experience of his own with the dementors in his third year.  
  
"Yes well, from what I hear since the place came under the auspices of the Ministry of Magic there have been a lot of changes. Oh, I'm not saying it's a nice place to go, but its certainly a lot better than it was before!" Percy explained.  
  
"Well I guess I better get to work." Harry said. "Are we still working on those growing sweets?" He knew his boss was a stickler for working, and had ambitions of becoming the Minister of Magic one day. Percy often complained about the current Minister of Magic, Amos Diggory, and said he was incompetent. Harry recalled a lively conversation between the Weasley's the year before. Bill, who worked for Gringotts, and Charlie, who worked with dragons in Romania, were there, and it got quite heated! The only Weasleys who didn't care were Fred and George!  
  
"No, we've got something else to be concerned about. How do you feel about a trip to Scotland?" Percy asked.  
  
**********  
  
"Harry!" Ron called him on his way into work a few days later. "I had an owl from Hermoine. So far she hasn't come up with a plan for getting Malfoy to confess and it's only a week until the reunion!"  
  
"I know." Harry said, sighing. "I've been thinking myself, and I just can't think of anything! Malfoy's not stupid-as he has already proven to us!-so we've got to come up with something cunning."  
  
"Have you thought about asking Sirius?" Ron asked casually.  
  
"It's funny you should ask that, I've been debating sending him an owl." Harry admitted. "But I was wondering whether you two might not like that because it would mean telling someone else about it all. As long as he doesn't know my scar is hurting of course."  
  
Ron looked concerned. "Hurting? Is it still hurting then?" He asked.  
  
Harry could have kicked himself. He hesitated, but seeing Ron's face he knew it was no point lying because Ron wouldn't believe him! "Yes, it does sometimes." He said, as they got out of the elevator at level three hundred and three. If muggles looked at the Ministry of Magic building they saw only a small, dirty café, with an empty apartment over the top of it. However, as all witches and wizards knew, the building was huge!  
  
"I wish we could still confide in Dumbledore." Ron said, sighing. "I heard he's on vacation in the Bahamas at the moment. I guess being an advisor to pretty much every department in the place is a little taxing. Can you see him lying on a beach with bright colored bathers on, and his long beard?"  
  
Harry laughed. "I could actually! I better get in and get the paperwork done from my trip. Would you believe some smart wizard thought it was funny to enchant muggle's cars? I bet you'll have some paperwork to do on it too. One of the older witches from your department was up there also!"  
  
"Great!" Ron sighed, and they went their separate ways.  
  
**********  
  
"Dear Sirius. Hermoine, Ron and I decided that it would be best if we wrote to you to ask for your advice. I don't know whether you've heard or not but strange things are happening. For starters at Hogwarts Professor Binns has disappeared, and the Dark Mark was found on a wall and on a piece of paper in a bathroom. We asked Moaning Myrtle, and she claims that Draco Malfoy was there with a stack of the papers, and another hooded man. What do you make of the whole thing? Harry. "  
  
**********  
  
Harry was sitting by the fire three nights later, when the doorbell rang. He got up and went to the door. "Quick Harry, let me in."  
  
"Sirius!" Harry exclaimed recognizing the voice, and opening the door and letting him in. "I wasn't expecting you to come here!"  
  
"I wasn't planning on coming here. I got your owl the other day, and I was going to write back, until this morning. Harry-have you got anything to drink?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Sure." Harry replied, a little flustered.  
  
A few minutes later they were sitting in front of the fire both nursing drinks. Whilst Sirius' name had been cleared by Harry while he was still at Hogwarts it wasn't safe for him to wander around too much as he had named a few names in the aftermath of Voldemort's collapse, and a few wizarding families were not too happy about being exposed as dark wizards.  
  
"So what made you change your mind and come here Sirius? I thought you were meant to stay out of London!" Harry asked.  
  
"This morning, as I was writing to you something caught my attention. I saw a hooded man outside my house, and when I went out there he was gone, but he had left me something Harry-" And here Sirius produced a piece of paper with the Dark Mark on it.  
  
Harry gasped. "It's like the one they found at Hogwarts, and the one I found..." He said.  
  
"You have one of these also?" Sirius asked, and Harry groaned inwardly. That was the second time he'd given away something he hadn't meant to give away!  
  
"I found it on my doorstep." Harry admitted.  
  
Sirius frowned. "This is all very strange. What can it all mean? Let's see- we've got the business at Hogwarts, and then you and I both have one of these papers, and somehow the Malfoy's are involved. Is there anything else?"  
  
Harry hesitated. "I did get a strange phone call the other week. In fact it was the morning I got Hermoine's owl about going up to Hogwarts. They told me not to meddle in things which didn't concern me! At the time I thought the voice was familiar, but I can't place it!"  
  
"When is the reunion at Hogwarts?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Next week." Harry replied.  
  
"Well I have a feeling that something interesting is going to happen there. I think maybe I better go also. I'll get hold of Lupin to come as well I think." Sirius decided.  
  
Harry suddenly felt a lot better. Knowing that there were more people in on the whole thing was a relief. 


	8. The reunion begins

7. The Reunion begins.  
  
"Are you two ready yet?" Ron complained.  
  
"Nearly." Sirius said, packing some more things into the bag he was taking. When Ron had asked about the bag he'd been given the gruff response that it was all merely precautionary.  
  
The three of them were apparating to Hogsmeade, where buses would be waiting to take people to the school.  
  
"It's a pity that Charlie can't get back for the reunion." Harry said to Ron as they waited for Sirius.  
  
"I know. He wanted to of course, but they've been having problems over there and he can't really afford to leave. Besides I think his wife is getting nervous about the baby. Which reminds me, I heard from Fred the other day, and I don't think Ginny is going to be the only one getting married this year!"  
  
"Fred's getting married?" Harry asked, trying to imagine it.  
  
"Well he didn't say so as such of course, but he hinted at it." Ron said, and then Sirius stood up ready to go.  
  
"What are we waiting for? Let's get going, otherwise Lupin will be wondering where we are." Sirius said. Harry and Ron grinned at each other.  
  
*****  
  
Hogsmeade had probably never seen so many people converge on it at the one time, Harry thought with a grin. He spotted a few familiar faces, and then he nudged Ron. "Look it's Neville!" Neville Longbottom had been a member of Griffyindoor with the two boys, and Hermoine. He was something of a klutz, and had a terrible memory, but nonetheless he ended up proving himself!  
  
Neville spotted them both at the same time and hurried over, nearly tripping over his shoelaces as he did so. "Ron! Harry!" He said. "How great to see you both!"  
  
"It's good to see you too Neville. It's good to see some things never change also." Harry replied, glancing at Neville's undone shoelaces.  
  
"What have you been up to?" Neville asked. "I've been working for the England Quidditch team the last five years in a management role. It's hectic at the moment with the next world cup coming up. And holding it in Ireland of all places!" He shook his head.  
  
Harry grinned. "It should be good though. I work for the Ministry of Magic in the Misuse of Magic department. Ron's in the Muggle department."  
  
"I was speaking to Dean before-did you know he opened up his own shop in Quidditch supplies? He wanted to know whether I could get him a good deal on any England memorabilia." Neville grinned. Dean Thomas had been another of the four Griffyindoor boys in their year. The fourth, Seamus Finnigan, currently lived over in Ireland, and wasn't coming to the reunion.  
  
"Have you seen any of my family?" Ron asked.  
  
"Fred and George caught the bus before you arrived. They gave me this.." He held out a sweet. "But I was too scared to try it."  
  
Ron grinned. "Good idea. They never actually opened up their joke shop, but it doesn't mean they don't spend their spare time inventing things-and hiding it from Percy! He's still the same old stick in the mud. Poor Harry has the misfortune to be working under him!"  
  
"What do they do then?" Neville asked.  
  
"Both work for the Ministry in the magical inventions department, if you could imagine it!" Ron replied. "A hazard if there ever was one."  
  
"I heard Hermoine is working at Hogwarts. DADA teacher!" Neville said, impressed. "She always was very smart."  
  
"Sometimes too smart." Ron muttered darkly. Harry knew that Ron had received an owl from Hermoine the other day saying that she thought the two of them needed to talk, but Ron had not replied. "Forget it!" He told Harry. "She'll probably just give me a lecture!"  
  
"Here's the bus!" Harry said, changing the subject gratefully. "We better jump on quickly."  
  
They got on the bus, and seated themselves. Harry glanced around. There seemed to be Griffyindoors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws, but there were no Slytherins. He pointed this out in a low tone to Ron, who looked around and nodded.  
  
"You're right. Maybe they aren't coming!" He suggested hopefully.  
  
"Malfoy miss a chance to brag about what a big shot he has become since school? I don't think so!" Harry replied. He noticed his godfather, and Lupin seated up near the front deep in conversation, and frowned. The way they were acting made him slightly nervous, as if they expected something was going to happen at the reunion.  
  
"I can't wait for the feast. I've not been to a feast like Hogwarts ones since we left!" Neville said, and Ron laughed.  
  
"You'll have to compete with Fred and George remember?" He reminded his friend.  
  
"Oh I'm sure there will be plenty to go round." Neville replied. "Hey Harry- I forgot to ask you, do you know whether Hagrid will be there?"  
  
Harry shook his head. Despite his promise to keep in touch with the gamekeeper he hadn't really. The last he heard Hagrid was over in France with Madame Maxine, and they had two children. Harry had laughed at the thought of two giant children! "I shouldn't think so."  
  
The bus arrived at Hogwarts and they all got off. Suddenly Harry felt himself being tapped on the shoulder and he turned around, and then turned bright red.  
  
"Cho..how are you?" He managed. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ron and Neville grinning.  
  
"Not too bad." Cho Chang replied. "How are you?"  
  
"Not too bad either." Harry replied.  
  
"So, what do you do with yourself?" Cho asked.  
  
"Do?" Harry asked.  
  
"For work?" Cho explained. "I saw you playing Quidditch once before your knee problem. I wanted to come over and congratulate you, but I thought I'd just look like a groupie or something!"  
  
"You should have come over!" Harry told her. "I work for the Ministry at the moment-in the misuse of magic department. What about you?"  
  
"I actually work as a legal advisor to witches and wizards who have gotten themselves in trouble with the law in the muggle world. The muggles have a very weird legal system you know! It's so complicated, so they need someone to help them out there!" Cho explained.  
  
"Interesting." Harry replied.  
  
"Um, Harry, don't you think we should get inside?" Ron asked, and Harry realized his friends were still standing there waiting.  
  
"Oh sure. It was nice to see you again Cho." Harry said.  
  
"Yes, it was nice to see you too. I don't suppose you want to do something one night? I'm living in London at the moment, and you work there right?" Cho asked.  
  
"I live there too." Harry replied, and then he felt Ron nudge him. "Sure, I'd love to do something sometime!"  
  
"Great!" Cho replied, brightly, and then she went off to see some of her other classmates, and Harry, Ron and Neville entered the hallway.  
  
"Harry has a date. About time." Ron said.  
  
"It's not a date." Harry muttered embarrassed.  
  
"It could be if you wanted it to be. I saw the way Cho was looking at you. The famous Harry Potter scores again!" Ron teased.  
  
"When you work out your own love-life then you can tease me!" Harry told him, and Ron frowned. Then they noticed Hermoine waving to them, and hurried over to her. 


	9. The arrival of the Slytherins

8. The arrival of the Slytherins.  
  
"Harry! Ron! Neville!" Hermoine hurried over to them and hugged them all in turn, although Ron was the only one who appeared at all uncomfortable with this. Harry, for his part, was uncomfortable with the fact that many eyes in the room were on him. It seemed that they hadn't forgotten what the "boy who lived" had done for them on two occasions! "Have you noticed that no Slytherins are here?"  
  
"We noticed it on the bus." Harry replied. "We can't work out why though."  
  
"Well guess who is here? Snape!" Hermoine said.  
  
The three boys exchanged looks. Snape, the potions master when they had been Hogwarts students, and Harry had never gotten along. It turned out that Snape hated Harry because he had been at school with his father, James, and James had saved his life once. On various occasions they had suspected Snape of doing certain things, and for a little while during the dark times when they were in fifth year and Voldemort had returned, they were also convinced that Snape was in league with Voldemort. Of course Dumbledore had assured them that Snape was completely on their side, but they weren't convinced. At least not until they found out that the new DADA teacher had been the one who was in league with Voldemort-not Snape. And of course when Harry had defeated Voldemort again in his final year Snape had been the only one not to congratulate him or make a fuss over him. Not because he wasn't glad that Voldemort was gone, but because he couldn't stand the idea that Harry was getting more publicity!  
  
"Did he speak to you Hermoine?" Neville asked.  
  
"He did. He came over and said 'Miss Granger, I read about your appointment in the Daily Prophet. I must say I am not surprised. Now you have a chance to be a know-all and get paid for it! Do try and let your students answer your questions though!' I was speechless of course!" Hermoine said.  
  
Harry laughed. It sounded exactly like Snape! Snape had left the school at the same time as they had, and had taken up a position at Azkaban, where he could terrorize criminals instead of students! At that moment Fred and George came over, both armed with tarts and cupcakes.  
  
"Want one?" Fred offered, seeing Neville eyeing them.  
  
"Um.no thanks." Neville replied.  
  
"Your loss then." Fred replied, taking a huge bit out of the chocolate one. Neville watched him swallow it and nothing happen to him sadly.  
  
"Did you see Snape?" George asked. "He was glaring at you Harry. I guess he still hates you!"  
  
Harry laughed. "I didn't see him, but I could imagine. I haven't noticed the headmistress yet either Hermoine?"  
  
Hermoine looked distressed. "She got an owl from the Ministry this morning and headed off to London. She didn't say what it was about, but she looked worried. She did say she'd try to get back in time for the feast though!"  
  
"Was it-" Ron began, but Hermoine glared at him, and he realized that his brothers, and Neville, didn't know what was happening.  
  
"So, I saw Lavender before Harry. Didn't you have a fling with her?" Fred asked.  
  
"I didn't!" Harry protested. "She had a crush on me sixth year, and followed me round all the time. It was awful!"  
  
"I bet he wouldn't have minded if it was Cho!" George said, and Harry went red again.  
  
"Funny you should say that!" Ron replied. "Cho came over before, she and Harry are going to go on a date when we're back in London!"  
  
Harry went even redder. "I told you it's not a date!" He argued.  
  
"Ignore him!" Ron told his brothers. "It's a date! It seems like Cho wasn't the only one who was waiting for a special someone. Harry could have had heaps of girlfriends after the world cup!"  
  
"At least I know what I want!" Harry snapped, and then he sighed. "Anyway, how about Percy? Is he here?"  
  
"Ah yes, Percy." Fred and George exchanged smiles.  
  
"What have you two done now?" Hermoine demanded.  
  
"Nothing.." George said.  
  
"Nothing really..." Fred said.  
  
"Where is he?" Ron asked, craning his neck around the room crowded with Griffyindoors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws.  
  
"He and Penelope have gone for a walk outside. Poor Penny is getting over a nasty separation with her husband, and Percy obviously hopes to cheer her up with all his dribble about how he will soon be running the Ministry of Magic." George explained.  
  
"We were eavesdropping." Fred explained.  
  
"What exactly did you do to him though?" Hermoine persisted.  
  
The twins exchanged a look, and then Fred held out chewing gum. "We tried this out on Mum the other week-who went crazy when she worked it out-it makes you sprout hair. When Percy comes back in here he'll look like he hasn't shaved in weeks."  
  
"Are you stupid?" Ron asked, shaking his head. "Percy's going to flip. And he's not head of the misuse of magic department for nothing. He's still convinced you two were behind those growing sweets the other week!"  
  
"Well we're actually innocent with the chewing gum." Fred admitted. "We bought it from Zonkers, although I wish we could take the credit for it."  
  
Harry noticed they conveniently forgot to mention the growing sweets, but he didn't say anything. Even if he had known it was them there was no way he'd dob them into his boss!  
  
All of a sudden there was a loud commotion outside, and the six of them hurried out to see what was going on. Three luxurious looking buses had drawn up in front of the hall, and from them the Slytherins alighted, looking pleased with themselves.  
  
Hermoine groaned to herself. "Had to make an entrance didn't they? What's the bet Malfoy's behind this!"  
  
That reminded Harry that he didn't think that was the only thing that Malfoy was behind, but between himself, Ron and Hermoine they'd been unable to come up with a plan to get the information from Malfoy. They'd decided that the only thing they really could do was keep an eye on him. And if the problems with the Dark Mark on the papers kept going then they knew the Ministry would find out and investigate themselves. Harry, however, hoped that Malfoy was just causing mischief, not planning something terrible, because as he well knew there was not much that they could do about it at the moment!  
  
Malfoy got out of the bus, surrounded by members of his house. He was dressed in a very expensive looking suit, but he didn't appear to have changed much from when they went to school. His eyes were still cold, and he still held himself in a manner which suggested that he thought he was better than everyone else!  
  
"Look at the git." Fred muttered.  
  
"I don't want to. I'm going back inside. I'm not going to let the Slytherins cheat me out of that food!" George responded, and he went back inside. The others trooped in after him, although Hermoine whispered in Harry's ear as they went "Keep an eye on him! We know he's up to something!" 


	10. Draco Malfoy

9. Draco Malfoy.  
  
As he walked back inside Harry heard an oily, smooth voice near his ear. One he knew well.  
  
"The famous Harry Potter. I saw your success on the Quidditch field you know. Always did think you were a bit of a hot shot on a broom didn't you?"  
  
"Hello Professor Snape." Harry replied politely. "How are you?"  
  
"How am I?" Snape repeated, his eyes glittering dangerously. "Let me tell you. I was up for the DADA spot after having spent the last ten years dealing with that kind of thing at Azkaban, and again I was cheated out of it! And by a snippet of a girl too, who would probably faint if she met a Vampire, or a Dark Wizard who was pointing his wand at her."  
  
Harry frowned, and drew himself up. "I think you'll find, Professor Snape, that Hermoine has proven herself on more than one occasion." And then he couldn't help but smile.  
  
"You're referring to the time in sixth year aren't you? I could have saved myself you know Potter. I was about to, but then she had to butt in and-"  
  
"-You just can't handle the fact that your life was saved not only by my father, but also by Hermoine!" Harry snapped, and then he felt Ron by his side.  
  
"Hello Professor Snape. Come on Harry-the feast is about to begin, and we want to make sure we get seats far enough away from Percy the pain!" Ron said, his eyes taking in the look on Harry's face and knowing that Snape had done or said something to annoy his friend again.  
  
Harry stared at Snape for a second longer, and then let his friend lead him away.  
  
"What did he say?" Ron asked.  
  
"Nothing unusual. You know Ron I don't think I have ever met such a bitter, unhappy man in all my life." Harry replied.  
  
Ron had to laugh. "What, you think Snape needs a girlfriend?" He asked.  
  
"Maybe!" Harry replied laughing also. "But let me tell you-Hermoine is not one of the candidates. Turns out Snape was also applying for the DADA position and he is dirty on Hermoine for getting it over him."  
  
"Harry, you don't think Snape's got anything to do with all the strange things do you? Maybe he wants the school to think they can't do without him?" Ron suggested, but Harry shook his head.  
  
"I doubt that." He said, and they entered the great hall, taking Harry back to the first time he had ever entered it. He'd been so scared that he would be put in Slytherin after Ron had told him that there wasn't a witch or wizard who'd gone bad who hadn't been in Slytherin!  
  
"Hey Harry! You've got to try some of these muffins!" Neville said, his mouth full. Harry grinned and sat down.  
  
"What did Snape want?" Hermoine asked him in a low voice, as they began the feast.  
  
"Nothing really. Just to try and make me feel horrid as usual." Harry muttered, not wanting to tell her that he had also complained about her. Not that she would have thought much of it!  
  
"Well, well, well..Harry Potter and his little entourage." Draco Malfoy said, standing behind the table.  
  
"Hello Malfoy." Harry said coldly. "How have you been?"  
  
"I've been fine. Father and I are in business together and we have almost tripled our money in the last two years alone!" Malfoy bragged, and he smirked at his companions. Crabbe and Goyle, who, Harry noted, didn't look any different from the dumb thugs they'd been back in school.  
  
"They always said some people had more money than sense." Ron muttered under his breath, but Malfoy heard and glared at him.  
  
"You could do with some money Weasley, and we all know that. Tell me, are you still living in that shack?" Malfoy asked, and it was Hermoine who held Ron back.  
  
"And Longbottom!" Malfoy said. "Are you still as clumsy as ever?"  
  
Neville looked at him, but didn't speak.  
  
Malfoy turned to Hermoine now. "And Granger. I have to tell you that my father and I, and many of the richer wizarding families, were shocked to see Hogwarts appoint a mudblood as a teacher."  
  
"Get out of here you little git before I make you into something even uglier than you already are!" Fred snarled.  
  
Malfoy smirked. "I wouldn't threaten me. You're going to see soon enough."  
  
And he turned and sauntered off with Crabb and Goyle behind him.  
  
Fred and George went back to the feast, but not Harry, Ron and Hermoine who were all staring at each other in horror.  
  
"D'ya hear that?" Ron whispered.  
  
"I wonder what he is talking about. Something is going to happen!" Harry said.  
  
"We've got to keep an eye on him during the reunion." Hermoine replied.  
  
"What are you three whispering about?" Neville asked.  
  
"Nothing Neville, don't worry." Harry assured him. But his eyes were riveted across the room on the table where the Slytherin's were all seated, and in particular, on Malfoy. 


	11. The Dark Mark again!

10. The Dark Mark again!  
  
After the feast was over they moved into the hall to mingle. Harry noticed that Crabb, Goyle and Malfoy weren't into the spirit of the thing. Instead they were standing in a huddle talking.  
  
"I wish I knew what they were talking about!" Harry said impatiently.  
  
Hermoine hesitated, and then she grabbed his arm. "Come to my office quickly. Ron-you stay here and keep an eye on the terrible three!"  
  
Ron looked as though he might protest at her bossiness, but instead he shrugged.  
  
"What's up Hermoine?" Harry demanded as she raced him through the corridors to her office.  
  
"You'll see." She replied mysteriously.  
  
In the office she took out her wand. "I'm about to do something which is completely illegal here Harry, so you're going to have to keep quiet about it." She said.  
  
Harry raised his eyebrows. Hermoine do something wrong?  
  
"Don't look at me like that Harry!" Hermoine said, shaking her head. "I do sometimes do things which you don't expect. It's just a pity Ron doesn't realise that I'm not a complete nerdy loser.." Then she sighed and changed the subject. "I got the idea from Rita Skeeter."  
  
"Rita Skeeter." Harry replied slowly, remembering. Rita had been a reporter covering the triwizard tournament when he was in his fourth year at Hogwarts. She'd caused a bit of fuss with articles about him and how he was portrayed. Harry still remembered how she had written, "Tears fill those startlingly green eyes as our conversation turns to the parents he can barely remember" despite the fact that it wasn't true. After causing enough trouble Rita was banned from the grounds of the school, however it appeared she was still getting information from something. It had been Hermoine that worked out that Rita was an unregistered Animagus. She was able to turn herself into a beetle, and therefore get the information she wanted.  
  
"You're not talking about electronic bugs are you? I thought you said they wouldn't work-" Harry began.  
  
"-No that's not what I mean." Hermoine replied. "I've worked out how to turn you into a bug."  
  
Harry's eyes widened. "Turn me into a bug?" He repeated.  
  
Hermoine nodded determinedly. Harry took a deep breath and then nodded. If anyone knew what they were doing it was Hermoine.  
  
******  
  
"Where's Harry?" Ron asked as Hermoine returned.  
  
"Have they done anything?" Hermoine asked instead.  
  
"No. They've just been talking, but if you ask me it looks like Malfoy is waiting for something." Ron replied.  
  
Hermoine studied the three carefully. It was true that Malfoy had an even smugger look than usual on his face, and that he was looking around the room expectantly.  
  
"So, where is Harry then?" Ron repeated his question.  
  
Before Hermoine could answer there was the sound of someone behind them. "Yes, where is the famous Harry Potter?" Snape asked them.  
  
"He's in the toilet." Hermoine replied. "He's embarrassed because we've been teasing him about Cho liking him!"  
  
Snape's cold eyes seemed to look right through her. "I don't believe you Miss Granger, but I know that you're not going to tell me the truth, so it's no point asking." He said.  
  
Hermoine bit her lip. "I am sorry if you feel that way Professor, but that's the truth."  
  
After Snape had moved off and was safely out of earshot Ron whispered to Hermoine "Well spill it then. Where is Harry?"  
  
"Here." Hermoine replied, and she opened her hand to release a fly. The fly disappeared over in the direction of Malfoy and his cronies.  
  
Ron looked amazed. "Hermoine, I never knew you would do something like that!" He said.  
  
"Yes, well in some cases there is nothing else for it, but to break the law." Hermoine replied a little embarrassed.  
  
"You know Hermoine I've been doing some thinking lately." Ron said, obviously uncomfortable. "I've been thinking about our fight-"  
  
"-not now Ron please." Hermoine interrupted.  
  
Ron frowned. "Fine." He muttered sulkily.  
  
"I didn't mean it like that. I've forgiven you Ron-and I hope you forgive me-but we've got to concentrate on something else at the moment!" Hermoine explained, and Ron looked placated.  
  
They watched the others for awhile, mingling with other students, but not really taking their attention off where Malfoy, Crabb and Goyle stood in a tightly knit group.  
  
'Harry!' Hermoine thought as the fly landed on her arm. "Excuse me." She said to the person she was speaking to and she left the room just in time as Harry turned back into Harry.  
  
"Well?" She demanded.  
  
"Malfoy was telling them about how his Father was counting on them, but he didn't actually say what for. And then they got talking about how people would straight away think that Voldemort had returned, and Malfoy was quite annoyed by that. "It's not that I don't want people to be scared by it all!" He said. "But I want them to know the truth!" And then they started talking about something else-something unrelated.." Harry explained.  
  
"Something else?" Hermoine repeated.  
  
"Nevermind!" Harry assured her. He didn't want to tell her that they had been discussing the students and how they had, or hadn't, changed, including Hermoine! When he heard Malfoy complain about how they were shocked to see a mudblood teaching DADA Harry had wished he was a bee instead of a fly so he could sting the annoying git!  
  
They went back out to join Ron and then the whole story had to be told again.  
  
"Well something's definitely up!" Ron declared, and Harry and Hermoine agreed.  
  
Suddenly there was a commotion at the other end of the hall and everyone's eyes turned to see what it was. Smoke was rising slowly into the air and slowly taking the form of the Dark Mark. Nearby Harry heard Neville whimper, and Fred and George tell him it was nothing to worry about-just someone playing a practical joke. Harry remembered that they didn't know about the things which had happened. Nobody really did yet! His eyes darted straight to Malfoy and his friends. Malfoy was smirking slightly, and so were his friends. None looked at all concerned, nor surprised by the appearance of the Dark Mark again!  
  
"It's Voldemort!" Someone cried. "Voldemort's back!"  
  
This outburst lead everyone to start talking loudly, and looking scared. Hermoine glanced around, realising that the headmistress was still not there, and she stepped up to the front.  
  
"Listen everyone!" She called. "Please everyone!"  
  
People began to calm down and listen to what she had to say. "Everyone remain calm please. There is nothing to be alarmed about. It's all one big joke I am sure!"  
  
Harry thought everyone was going to believe that until a voice asked "What about telling them everything which has been going on? I think it's about time the wizarding world knew what they might be dealing with!" It was Snape, looking smug.  
  
Everyone was now staring at Hermoine expectantly. She swallowed nervously. How could she not say anything now when everyone was going to want to know what Snape had meant? She could deny it of course, but nobody would believe that. Before she knew it everyone in the wizarding community would have been told about the Dark mark appearing at Hogwarts twice, and the paper, and the strange disappearance of Professor Binns. And if that happened wouldn't she get into trouble for telling everyone something which was meant to be a secret? Before she could decide a stern voice spoke up. "What on earth is going on here?" It was Professor McGonagall back from London!  
  
Hermoine crossed to her side to tell her, but the headmistress's sharp eyes had already caught the fading Dark Mark hanging in the air, and she went pale. Ron and Harry hesitated, and then hurried over to hear as well. The headmistress drew them to the side.  
  
"Professor Granger." The headmistress said curtly. "We have no choice now but to owe these people, and the rest of our community, an explanation. I don't want to cause a panic and let people think that somehow Voldemort is returning, when we know that there is no way he could possibly return. But something is going on, and it is no doubt the work of dark wizards."  
  
"You're right headmistress." Hermoine replied. She glanced at Harry and Ron, deciding then and there not to mention what they knew about Malfoy. Not considering she had done something illegal to obtain the information!  
  
"Is it bad Professor?" Ron asked. "I mean, it's not going to be like when Voldemort came back to power, is it?"  
  
The headmistress sighed. "I doubt it Mr. Weasley. Nobody could be as bad as Voldemort was, but I have to confess, I do have fears about what could happen!" Then she turned back to Hermoine. "I'll explain it all now."  
  
The room was full of people speaking, and they all fell silent the moment the headmistress held up her hand for quiet. 


	12. Panic in the wizarding world

11. Panic in the wizarding world.  
  
"Please listen to me everyone. I've been in London at the ministry discussing exactly how we were going to let everyone know about what has been happening. However it now seems that this is the perfect time to explain." The headmistress explained. "Now let's see. It all began when we saw the dark mark written on a wall in one of the corridors near the dungeon. We then found a piece of paper with the Dark Mark on the middle of it, and then Professor Binns went missing. Currently a few people have reported to the ministry that they too have received the bits of paper with the Dark Mark on them-however as far as we can see there doesn't appear to be any sort of pattern of who has received them."  
  
"Is Voldemort back?" Someone near the back asked.  
  
The headmistress shook her head. "No, Voldemort is not back and never will come back. I can assure you of this!" She said firmly.  
  
"So, what's happening?" Another person asked.  
  
The headmistress glanced at Hermoine, Harry and Ron-she'd guessed they had something they knew about the whole thing, but something which they were not willing to discuss!  
  
"I'm afraid we don't know." The headmistress said, with a sigh. "All I can ask is that if anyone gets one of those pieces of paper they report it to the ministry as soon as they can. And tell your friends and family. But most importantly-don't panic!"  
  
As everyone in the room started to discuss what had happened the headmistress spoke softly to Harry, Ron and Hermoine. "Is there anything you three would like to tell me?"  
  
"Tell you? No, nothing that I can think of.." Ron said airily.  
  
Hermoine, however, sighed and pushed her hair out of her face. "Headmistress we weren't going to tell you this-but Malfoy is involved somehow." She ignored the glare Ron was giving her.  
  
"Malfoy." The headmistress said. "Why doesn't that surprise me? Well, spill it all then Miss Granger."  
  
"Myrtle saw Malfoy with a stranger in the bathroom. They had a stack of those papers with the Dark Mark on them. And we overheard Malfoy before speaking about how his father was counting on them. He seemed to be disappointed by the fact that everyone would think it was Voldemort coming back to life when it wasn't!" Hermoine finished.  
  
The headmistress looked thoughtful. "It does shed a little light on it. When I was at the ministry this morning they were telling me that Lucius Malfoy had been spotted at a few places we know are connected with dark wizards, or dark arts."  
  
"So the Malfoys are up to something." Hermoine said. "But what?"  
  
"I don't know Miss Granger." The headmistress said. "But I can assure you that we'll work it out."  
  
After the headmistress had walked away Ron turned on Hermoine. "Good on you! Couldn't keep your big mouth shut could you?"  
  
Hermoine's face went bright red, but she stuck to her guns. "Ron be sensible. If the headmistress is working with the ministry on this we have to let her know what we know. It could be important!" She insisted.  
  
"Come on Harry, let's leave little miss blabbermouth." Ron snapped, and he started off. Harry hesitated. He wished his friends wouldn't always involve him in their arguments!  
  
"Hermoine-" He began, but she interrupted him.  
  
"Just go with him." Hermoine said, tears in her eyes. "I don't care."  
  
"For what it's worth I think telling the headmistress was the right thing to do." Harry said.  
  
Hermoine smiled through her tears. "Thanks Harry, but I wish there was someone else who would realise that I only ever do what I think is right!"  
  
"He'll realise." Harry assured her, and then he went over to where Ron was standing with Sirius and Lupin.  
  
"Where have you two been?" Harry asked. "I didn't see you at all during the feast, and only after the Dark Mark appeared!"  
  
"We've been outside-keeping an eye on things." Lupin replied. "You'll never believe who is here though Harry- Misters Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle!"  
  
Harry's eyes widened. What were they doing there?  
  
"They didn't see us though." Sirius continued. "They were just wandering around and then when all the commotion was coming from inside they started laughing. We came inside then to see what was happening. And when we went back out they were gone!"  
  
"Blimey." Ron muttered.  
  
Sirius smiled tightly at him. "That's one way of putting it Ron." He said. "I don't know what they're up to, but we know they're all in it together."  
  
"In what?" Harry wondered, frustrated.  
  
"We'll find out." Sirius said grimly. "Harry, you don't mind if I stay with you for a bit? I'm going to work with the ministry on this one I think. I am not going to stay in hiding because some families are mad at me for exposing them after the whole thing with Voldemort again. But did they honestly think Voldemort would win, and that Hogwarts would be turned into a school for the Dark arts?" He shook his head.  
  
"Of course you can stay with me." Harry replied.  
  
*****  
  
It was almost a week later, and Harry rubbed at his eyes tiredly. Since the news of the Dark mark's reappearance had got out the wizarding world had been turned upside down. Despite the assurances of the Minister of Magic, Amos Diggery, there were still fears that somehow Voldemort could return. Ron's mother had rung Harry and made him promise to be careful- "Just in case it is you-know-who." She said, ignoring Harry's protests that Voldemort wasn't behind it. With so many sons in different departments of the Ministry, and also her husband, Harry would have thought that she would know that it was not Voldemort. It was well known throughout the higher members of the ministry that the Malfoy's were a suspect, however as Harry, Ron and Hermoine had discovered this they also were a privy to the private information. Harry glanced at the clock on his desk-almost six, and time to go home. He was just putting his coat on when Hedwig arrived with a letter for him. He opened it on his way to the lifts.  
  
"Dear Harry,  
  
I hope you don't mind me writing to you when you're probably quite busy with all this Dark Mark business. I know people are concerned that it is Voldemort's return-which I suppose is logical considering that the Dark Mark was his sign-but as far as I am personally concerned I know that Voldemort can't return again. You stopped him ten years ago!  
  
Anyway, the purpose of this letter is to ask, when this is all over and done with, whether or not we could go out for dinner or something? It was great seeing you at the reunion again!  
  
Fondly Cho."  
  
Harry felt his face redden, and he shoved the letter in his bag, just as Ron arrived at a run to get the lift, panting.  
  
"Harry? Why so red?" Ron managed to ask between pants.  
  
"No reason. You need to get some exercise if running for the lift leaves you short of breath." Harry replied as they got into the lift and pressed down.  
  
"I'm short of breath because I've been on the phone to Hermoine-those things are so ruddy confusing Harry!- and she has been annoying me as usual." Ron corrected.  
  
"What did she have to say?" Harry asked as they reached the ground. The lifts were very quick-probably because they were magical?  
  
"Nothing about the case." Ron replied.  
  
"So, what did she ring for then?" Harry asked.  
  
Ron clamped his lips shut, refusing to tell, but Harry'd had enough of it all by now. "Listen Ron, I'm sick of this stuff between you two. Can't you two just get over it all and be happy together? If I've ever seen two people in love it's you two!" Harry said.  
  
Ron frowned. "If she wasn't so annoying..." he muttered.  
  
Harry and Ron parted company and both went their separate ways towards their homes. 


	13. A clue and the mystery is solved!

12. A clue and the mystery are solved!  
  
"Harry, can you come in here where we can speak privately?" Sirius asked, surprising Harry who was busy writing a report for Percy.  
  
"Sure Sirius." Harry said and the two went into another room where there was nobody there to overhear what was going on.  
  
"We've got a clue about what Malfoy is up to." Sirius said.  
  
Harry's eyes widened. "A clue?" He repeated. "What is it?"  
  
"Lucius Malfoy has recently taken out a new insurance policy. It's complicated because it's to do with business things, but the crux of it is this: If something happens to make the economy differ in a way which affects his money, then he is insured for a fortune." Sirius explained.  
  
Harry looked confused. "So this means what?" He asked.  
  
"We're not sure yet. But to me it suggests that Malfoy is simply up to a money making scheme." Sirius offered.  
  
Harry was still confused. "So this isn't like Malfoy trying to take over the world or something? He's not trying to make himself into another Voldemort?"  
  
"We don't know." Sirius replied. "But it's entirely possible that he isn't!"  
  
*****  
  
Ron looked disgusted when Harry gave him this information. "I thought something interesting was going to happen." He said.  
  
Harry shook his head. "Ron, think about it. If Malfoy had been trying to take over the world and make himself into a wizard everyone feared like they did Voldemort wouldn't that be bad? Remember what it was like when we all lived in fear of Voldemort? We don't want to go through something like that again!"  
  
Ron shrugged. "Not exactly no." He admitted. "It's just a let down of sorts.."  
  
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. But then Ron hadn't stood face to face with the baddest wizard of all time had he? And he hadn't had to spend a few years in hiding trying to get over all he'd seen?  
  
"I guess we better send an owl to Hermoine." Harry said, changing the subject slightly.  
  
Ron's ears went red, and then his face. "No need." He said stiffly. "I'll let her know tonight."  
  
"Tonight?" Harry asked, surprised.  
  
"She's coming up to London. We're going to have dinner and try and work some things out." Ron explained his eyes on everything except Harry's face.  
  
"That's great Ron." Harry said, genuinely happy for his two best friends. "I'm really glad for you!"  
  
*****  
  
Harry spent longer in the office that night than he had planned. He wrote out two reports, and then debated sending an owl to Cho. He hadn't responded to her letter the other day yet, and he didn't want her to think he was being rude; it was simply that he didn't know what to say to her. Of course he wanted to have dinner with her! He'd never really gotten over her, and the fact that she wanted to see him sent butterflies fluttering all round his stomach. Finally he grabbed a piece of parchment and quill and wrote:  
  
"Dear Cho,  
  
I was glad to receive your letter. Of course I would love to have dinner with you sometime. I have a feeling that this whole thing might be cleared up soon, and as soon as it is I'll have some spare time and we can do something!  
  
Harry."  
  
He sent Hedwig off with it, and watched as she flew away. It was dark outside now, but the lights of the city were a great sight from so high up! Harry wondered how Ron and Hermoine's dinner date was going-he hoped it went well. He'd known for years that the two of them should be a couple, even if they'd tried to deny it all the time. In their last year at Hogwarts Harry had actually thought they were going to get their act together and be a couple. Still, better later than never he thought with a wry grin. He picked up his things, and left the office. As he was in the lift on the way down it stopped suddenly and went dark. Harry swallowed. A power failure he supposed. He hoped they wouldn't take too long to fix it. Sirius would be at home and he would worry if Harry wasn't home at his usual time. A noise on the lift door startled Harry. He mustn't be trapped between floors then!  
  
"Hello?" Harry called, and he banged on the door. "Can you hear me? The lift has stopped and I'm stuck in here!"  
  
"Harry?" A voice asked, and Harry frowned trying to remember where he had heard it last. And then he realised-it was the one from the phone. The one which he had thought at the time was familiar, and now he realised who it was. Cornelius Fudge! Fudge had been the Minister for Magic before Amos Diggory had taken over. Fudge had grumpily moved to live in the country to live on his pension. And Fudge had called Harry to warn him to keep his nose out of things which didn't concern him! And now Fudge was in the offices, and Harry was stuck in the lift!  
  
"Mr. Fudge?" Harry called, hoping against hope he was wrong.  
  
"Yes Harry, it's me." And the doors suddenly opened. "Come on out, quick."  
  
Harry hesitated, and Fudge pointed his wand at him. "Come now Harry. You don't want to do something silly which will finally end in your death do you?"  
  
Harry obeyed and Fudge led him to the stairs. "We've got to hurry." And Harry was hurried down the stairs.  
  
"Mr. Fudge what's going on?" Harry asked as they hurried.  
  
"Harry you were always too nosy." Fudge replied.  
  
"You're not the one who's involved with the Dark mark are you?" Harry persisted. "You're not involved with the Malfoys are you?"  
  
"When I was the Minister of Magic I had so much power. I reveled in the power, as anyone would. When they suggested that it was about time I stepped down I was devastated. I'd given the best years of my life to the Ministry, and to the Wizarding community. And then they decide that Diggory is to take over from me. Then I got mad Harry. I spent the last five years sitting in my little cottage in the country thinking. I wanted everyone to take notice of me again; I wanted that power I used to have. And there was only one other wizard who I realised had ever had more power than anyone!" Fudge said.  
  
"Voldemort." Harry said.  
  
"That's right. Clever boy." Fudge said. "Voldemort had everyone scare of him, everyone under his power."  
  
"So you think you can make yourself over into Voldemort?" Harry scoffed.  
  
Fudge glared at him. "I don't think-I know."  
  
"How does Malfoy fit in?" Harry demanded.  
  
"I bribed him. He's always wanted to think that he is powerful, so I bribed him into helping me by getting his stupid son to distribute papers with the Dark Mark on it, and to draw the Dark mark on a school wall. He also organised the Dark Mark's appearance at the Hogwarts reunion!" Fudge explained. "The only thing Malfoy cares about now that his beloved Voldemort is dead and gone is his money. I let him believe that he would benefit greatly from my new power-"  
  
"Don't you realise you don't have any powers?" Harry yelled. "You're nothing like Voldemort and you never will be!"  
  
They'd reached the end of the staircase now, and Fudge glared at Harry.  
  
"You never did know when to shut up, did you?" He demanded, twirling his wand thoughtfully.  
  
Harry was silent now, thinking fast. He didn't have his wand with him, he didn't have anything, and Fudge had his wand in his hand. He was finally going to die! After all the close shaves he had endured he was going to be killed by someone who was deluded enough to think that he had the powers of Voldemort? Then out of the corner of his eye he noticed something. Hedwig! And in her beak instead of a letter she held his wand! How had she known? What had made her return with his wand instead of a reply from Cho? Silently Hedwig glided towards Harry and when she was over the top of him she opened her beak and Harry's wand fell into his outstretched hand. Fudge noticed now, and pointed his own wand at Harry, but Harry wasn't the champion of the dueling club in sixth year at Hogwarts for nothing. He was quicker, and he pointed his wand at Fudge and yelled "Expelliarmus" and ducked as Fudge muttered some kind of curse. Fudge was thrown back onto the floor with a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Harry raced to pick up his wand.  
  
"Hedwig, get help." He called to his owl. However she didn't move, just sat there looking at him.  
  
"Hedgwig?" He pleaded. He knew the owl was beginning to get old and maybe she didn't feel she was up to another trip, but surely she could see that this was an emergency?  
  
"Why wont you go get help?" Harry asked her angrily, and she just clicked her tongue at him. Harry's eyes darted back to Fudge, who was still lying on the floor, only now he was moaning and moving.  
  
"HEDWIG! Go and get-" And Harry stopped, as the door opened to the staircase. He raised his wand ready to stop Malfoy if it was him-but it was Sirius.  
  
"Hedwig came to get me." Sirius said. "I couldn't work out what she wanted, but then I realised you must be in trouble."  
  
He looked down at Fudge on the floor with contempt. "Who'd have thought?" He asked. "Did he hurt you Harry?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "No, I'm fine." He said. "He wanted to be Voldemort. He wanted the power he thought he had lost when he was asked to resign from the Minister of Magic."  
  
Sirius shook his head. "And the Malfoys?"  
  
"They knew his plans. All Lucius wanted was to make more money though." Harry explained. "And he enlisted Draco's help there!"  
  
There were more sounds from outside. Sirius had sent for help before racing off to the offices. Within minutes Fudge was handcuffed and officials were talking about getting him to Azkaban.  
  
Harry was left free to go home. As he and Sirius walked up the path Ron and Hermoine arrived, holding hands, and looking terrified. "Harry, what happened?"  
  
"Not much." Harry said, grinning. "What happened with you two?"  
  
Ron blushed, but Hermoine waved the question off. "I can't believe it was Fudge! Not the person we suspected was it?"  
  
"No." Harry admitted. "It's cold out here. Lets go in and sit by the fire and I'll tell you all about it. And we better give Hedwig here a treat for doing such a marvelous thing."  
  
It was when they were seated in front of the fire that Harry asked Sirius the question which had been bugging him since the incident. "How did Hedwig know I was in trouble?"  
  
Sirius frowned slightly. "When someone is connected to their pet as strongly as you are to Hedwig-I mean for awhile you had nobody but Hedwig. She was your family-then it's a connection which can't really be explained. Hedwig sensed you were in trouble. That's all."  
  
"Wow." Harry muttered, and he patted the owl who was sitting proudly on his shoulder. "Thanks Hedwig."  
  
"We should be thanking you!" Hermoine said. "After all, once again you've saved us all from evil-"  
  
"-Fudge didn't have the powers that Voldemort had!" Harry interrupted, embarrassed. "I hardly saved you all!"  
  
"Don't be so modest Harry." Sirius said. "Maybe Fudge didn't have the powers of Voldemort yet-but had he killed you then he would have had more power. The first person Voldemort killed was the one who gave him some of his power. It's not a power we can just get. It's the power of blood, the power of having killed someone.."  
  
The room was silent and then Harry laughed lightly "Well Fudge is on his way to Azkaban where he will meet up with his-and of course our-good friend Snape."  
  
That got a few smiles, and Harry relaxed against the sofa, glad the whole thing was over! 


	14. Epilogue: 10 years later

EPILOGUE: TEN YEARS LATER.  
  
  
  
Harry smiled to himself as he watched his six year old son, Samuel, run around the backyard with Jenny Weasley, the six year old daughter of Ron and Hermoine. The Weasley's came over often to play, and Samuel actually referred to them as "Aunt Hermoine" and "Uncle Ron".  
  
"Did you hear Lucius is out of jail now?" Ron asked as they sat there.  
  
"Already? I didn't realise it had been so long. Well that will teach him for trying to make money out of everything." Harry replied, grinning. Whilst Lucius had received a jail sentence for his part in everything it hadn't been too severe. That had been saved for Fudge. Thinking about it made Harry shiver even in the warmth of the sun. Azkaban was not the sort of place anyone wanted to even think about!  
  
"I wonder what Draco will think having him back. I heard he's made even more money since his dad went in there." Hermoine said with a grin also. "And did you hear he has a son? About a year or two younger than our kids I think."  
  
"I wonder if he looks like Malfoy-all pointy and pale." Ron made a face.  
  
"I'm sure the ministry will be keeping an eye on the Malfoy's nonetheless." Hermoine said. She worked as the personal assistant for the current Minister of Magic, Percy Weasley, but as Harry and Ron both knew she was soon thinking of resigning and simply being a housewife. Ron and Harry were still at the Ministry too, as were Ron's twin brother's Fred and George. Both had married and had children a few years older than theirs. Percy had married Penelope and produced a son Paul, who Ron lamented sadly, was so similar to Percy he'd be a bore when he was older like his father. Of course there were also the children of Bill and Charlie who were a fair bit older. And Ginny and Justin had twin girls who had recently turned three. Harry had attended the party for them. He'd always been included in all the Weasley family activities. He tried to live a relatively quiet life with his wife and son, but there were occasions when people asked for his autograph on the street or something like that for having stopped Voldemort on two occasions and for stopping Fudge from trying to emulate Voldemort.  
  
"What are you thinking dear?" Cho asked softly, noticing the thoughtful look on her husband's face.  
  
"I was thinking how lucky we are to have Sam, and to have the Weasley's as an extended family." Harry replied.  
  
"Hear, hear!" Ron said, and the four adults watched as the two kids continued to play chase in the backyard.  
  
THE END!  
  
  
  
  
  
[A/N I wasn't going to add this epilogue but I thought it was a good idea since it sort of ties in with my other story "Samuel Potter and the ghost of Merlin." I hope you enjoyed the story, and the surprise, if somewhat rushed, ending. I was actually getting sick of writing this story, so I thought I'd write the last two or three chapters today to finish it all off, and then I could get back to the other ones I am working on.] 


	15. Preview of Book two

[A/N. I decided that I would make this story the first in my new series which is focussing exclusively on Sam, the son of Harry and Cho, and his friends and adventures at Hogwarts a few years on from when this story closes. The reason for that is that it ties in the Harry Potter books written by JK Rowling, and my Sam Potter series which I am writing.]  
***** Preview of Samuel Potter and the Ghost of Merlin. *****  
  
Before I could say anything we heard a loud voice coming from one of the doorways.  
"This session of the ghost's council will now come to order!"  
"Ghost's council?" Jenny mouthed, and I shrugged, as we moved closer to the doorway to hear.  
"First item on the agenda is the behavior of Peeves-as usual! I'll be glad when we don't have to keep on discussing the behavior of that pain!" The voice continued. "Baron-you would like to speak?"  
"Yes. I for one feel it is about time we took a hard line with Peeves. As we all know he gives us ghosts a bad name, when he isn't even a proper ghost, a poltergeist for heaven's sake!" The Baron said, in a cold voice which made me shiver. "And I think we should teach him a lesson."  
"My dear Baron, I assume the lesson you have in mind would be.um.painful?" Asked another voice.  
"Well Friar I think it's the only thing left to do." The Baron said. "Sir Nick?"  
"I have to agree with the Baron-something needs to be done. Do you know what I caught him doing last night? Throwing books all over the place in the library. And when I ordered him to stop he simply through books at me. Hard luck that they went right through me of course!" Here he laughed. "But the point is the Baron is the only one Peeves listens to-and even sometimes he doesn't respect him! We should demand respect!"  
Suddenly I felt a cold breeze on my neck and I whirled around, as did Jenny. Floating in the air was a ghost wearing a ridiculous hat with a flower in it, and a great bow tie which was spotted.  
  
"Eavesdropping were we?" He asked nastily.  
"No, no. We got lost when the staircases changed and we-" Jenny began, but the ghost interrupted us.  
"Show you what I do to eavesdroppers." He said, and then he leant forward and banged on the door three times, hard. There was a commotion inside, and the ghost who had knocked floated off in a rush, as the door was opened.  
Nearly headless Nick was the one to open it, and he frowned at us. "What's going on? What are you doing up here? And why did you knock on the door?" He demanded.  
"We didn't knock. It was a ghost with a bow tie and funny hat-"I began, and Nearly headless Nick made a face.  
"Peeves. Was he listening in at the door?" He asked.  
"No." I said truthfully. "He just came along now, and thought he'd play a trick on us."  
"That would be right." Nearly headless Nick said. "And you children? Why are you up here?"  
"We were on our way to breakfast when the staircase changed." I explained. "We're trying to work out how to get back down to the Great Hall."  
"Hmmm..and how much did you hear?" He asked.  
"Nothing!" I said quickly.  
"Sir Nick, show the children in." Called the cold voice belonging to the Baron. Nearly headless Nick ushered us in, and I saw that the Baron's eyes were as cold as his voice and I felt Jenny press closer to me.  
"Hello children, you're both new Gryffindoor students aren't you?" The friar asked, smiling at us in a friendly manner.  
"Yes." I answered for both of us.  
The Baron snorted. "Gryffindoors, that would be right." He muttered. Then in a louder voice he said, "Do we really want to let these children interrupt our meeting? You know we've got something very important to speak about!"  
"The Bloody Baron is right Sir Nick," said a female ghost. "We want to get to the question of Merlin-"  
A few ghosts threw her dirty looks, and she looked embarrassed. "Don't look at me like that! They won't know what we're talking about. Do you children?"  
"Are you talking about Merlin the Magician?" Jenny asked, and I could have hit her from the looks on the ghosts' faces. They didn't seem to be very happy that she knew what they meant.  
"Merlin the Magician." Snorted the Friar. "He hates that you know. He's not a magician-never was. Wizards and Magicians are hardly the same thing you know!"  
"Well Merlin the Magician had better commercial value than Merlin the Wizard didn't it?" Snapped one of the other ghosts.  
"Be that as it may he is misrepresented!" The Friar argued.  
Sir Nick clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "I think we've spoken enough about Merlin for the moment, don't you?" He asked, pointedly looking at Jenny and I.  
"Yes, yes." The Baron agreed, looking at us coldly. "The question is: what do we do with students who wander around sticking their noses in where they're not wanted?"  
"We've already told you how we got lost!" Jenny said angrily. "And if you tell us how to get to the Great Hall we shall be on our way."  
The Baron smirked. "And if we don't?" He asked.  
Jenny swallowed, and I felt my heart skip a beat.  
"Come now Baron. It is obvious the children are telling the truth. We should let them get back, and we can get on with our meeting. You know we've only got a few days to work this out!" The friar said.  
The Baron frowned.  
"All in favor of letting them go?" Sir Nick asked, and most of the ghosts raised their hands. "Bad luck Baron. Now children. Go to the end of this corridor and turn left. At the end of that hallway there are a set of stairs. They come out in the hallway near the transfiguration classroom. I'm sure you can find your way back from there?"  
We nodded and hurried out of the room. On our way downstairs we couldn't help but discuss what we'd seen and heard! 


End file.
